Boiler furnace



F. W. RIEHL BOILER FURNACE May 14, 1940.

Filed Aug. 16, 1937 FREDERICK //VVE/V7'OR W ATTORNEY Patented May 14, 1940 UNITED STATES zptaeta rarest "10mm BOILER FURNACE I Frederick W. Rich], Denver, Colo. Application Augustv 16, 1937, Serial No. 159,293

I 8 Claims. (01.122-135) This invention relates to an apparatus for heatingand more particularly for heating dwellings by means of steam, hot water or other heating medium.

This application is a continuation in part of application Serial No: 715,647, filed March 15,

1934, now Patent No. 2,092,334, granted Sept. 7,

The prior application discloses. a boiler furlO nace comprising a more or less vertical combustion chamber on which is mounted a horizontal container for the fluid heating medium to be heated "by. the furnace, the container having end compartments and, a mid compartment spaced 15 apart, by flue spaces and adapted to receive the fluid medium, a plurality of flue passages thru said mid compartment connecting the flue spaces on either side, a tube for heating fluid medium extendingthru eachpassage and each'of said o flue spaces and connected into'the end compartments of said container and a plurality of flue tubes extending from the flue space on one side of said mid compartment above the other flue space, to and thru the opposite end wall of the. container, said other flue space opening into the combustion chamber.

In accordance with the disclosure of the said prior application the hot combustion gases from the combustion chamber pass into the flue space 1; connected therewith, thru the flue passages and around the fluid medium tubes into the opposite flue space, and then thru the flue tubes by which the gases leave the container and furnace proper; Provision was also made for preheating air with 3-3 the flue gases discharged from the container.

The primary object of the present invention is to providecertain improvements in the container, the combustion chamber and the cycle of water or fluid flow in the apparatus of the prior application.

Other objects,'fea=tures and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description thereof taken in con nection with the accompanying drawing in which 4.3 Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the improved furnace partly in broken section.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view of the upper portion of the furnace structure shown in'Fig'. '1' taken on the central section line shown fil in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a broken vertical view of the lower portion of the furnace shown in Fig. 1 showing an added feature.

Referring to the figures of the drawing the fur- 55 nace or heating apparatus comprises a lower boiler section 2 and an upper boiler section 4.

The lower sectionZ includes a vertical combustion chamber within a water jacket formed by inner and outer walls 6 and 8. Relatively cool water or other fluid to be heated is introduced I at the bottom of the water jacket and is forced to pass therethru in a spiral path bya spiral partition orfin l0 mounted between the walls 6 and 8 as shown.

The combustionchamber in the section 2 is 10 supplied with hot combustion-gases from burners mounted in the bottom. The burners preferably comprise an innerannular gas burner I? of the usual Bunsen type as shown, and an .outer annular burner M which is preferably supplied only with gas so that a long luminousflame willbe provided along the wall 5 so that the long-flame provides ample radiantheat for heating the entire wall 6. The Bunsen flamefrom the center burner supports the flame temperature of the outer raw gas burner thereby givingperfect combustion and at the same time placing a luminous flame along the inside of the lower boiler section to permit the maximum amount of radiant heat to face the black side wall 6. This method of heating avoids the necessity for any refractory to support flame temperature and permits perfect control of the luminous flame.

. The luminous flame becomes very long and. gives a large surface of white flame which gives up a large amount of radiant heat to the lower boiler section so that it functions as a flash boiler.

The upper section 4 of the apparatus rests in the saddle-like top of the section and the two may be secured together if desired. The hot combustion gases from the combustion chamber of the section 2 enter the upper section 4 through a flue space It and pass thru horizontal flue passages l8 into a second flue space 20. The flue gases then leave the space 20 thru flue tubes 22. The walls forming the flue spaces It and 20 form partitions which divide the container i into three water compartments, and compartments 24 and 26 and a middle compartment 28. 'When the apparatus is used as a steam generator or boiler 4 5 the water level is held slightly above the tubes 22. A guage glass is provided to indicate the level.

In the operation of the apparatus the steam and hot water produced in the lower section 2 pass thru a conduit 3! into end compartment 26 of the upper section 4 where-the steam separates and leaves the container A thru a steam line 32 for distribution to house radiators or other point of use. The construction is preferably such that the lower section 2, as well as the compartment 26 receive water in the proper ratio to the heating so thatthey function as flash sections. v water passed into compartment 26 flows thru tubes 36 in an upward direction into end compartment 24 from which it flows over the walls of flue space It, around flue tubes 22 and into the middle compartment -28. The bottom of the com partment 28 is provided with an outlet pipe 36 thru which water flows down to the lower part of the water jacket 2 between, the walls 6 and 8. The water makes a complete cycle thru the lower and upper sections of the apparatus, passing generally concurrent to the combustion gasses'in the lower section and countercurrent in the I upper section;

Water or other fluid to be heated'is preferably supplied to the apparatus thru an inlet pipe 33 which connects into the pipe 38. The water jacket section 2 and the compartment 2 8' are provided with drain connections (not shown).

Compartments 26 and 28 drain thru pipes 36 and 36' respectively into the jacket section if when it is drained. v

The Water. capacity of the upper and lower sections of the apparatus is preferably as low as possible so that it will be unnecessary to heat a large body of water before steamis generated.

Accordingly the flues in the container 4 are pref erably made as large as possible and of such shape as to keep the water capacity to a minimum. For example flue passages is as shown' in section in Fig. 2 are constructed in rectangular shapes or shapes which parallel to a great extent the wall of the container 4. ofv construction decreases the water capacity of the container. a

When the apparatus is used for house heating purposes it is pr'eferablyoperated automatithe condensate from the radiators.

cally from a house thermostat which starts and stops the burners. When a demand is made for heat it is highly desirable that steam be supplied to radiators beforethe temperature in the house drops appreciably.

The furnace is provided with an arrange- 1 ment for supplying steam quickly by heating in Fig.

l of the drawing condensate from the house radiators is returned thru a line to to a small flash boiler 42 mounted in the outlet flue from The condensate enters the furnace as shown. an upper header M and flows'into a plurality of finned heating tubes 46 which connect into a lower header A8. The tubes 48 are mounted. di-

- rectly in the path of the hot flue gases from the flue tubes 22. Excess condensate above a certain level in the flash boiler 42 flows thru a bent pipe 5!] into the pipe 36 and enters the bottom of the section 2. The level in the tubes M will be approximately that in the container 4 or higher, depending on the heighth of the bend in pipe 50; Fluehgases pass from boiler A2 thru a flue 52 to a stack (not shown). Steam is formed in the tubes 46 very quickly after the burner starts and it'is conducted to radiators thru a steam line 54 (which may connect into the line 32) long before steam is available from sections 2 or 4 of the furnace. When the burner first starts up there is no condensate being returned from the radiators so that the water in tubes 46 is not cooled by the entrance of cold water. In the later" operation condensate is preheated in the boiler 42, before it reaches the section 2.

' When the furnace is used as steam boiler for heating a house, domestic hot water is preferably This type the drawing. It is also 'VISIOII for cleaning various tubes and fines may heated in a jacket tank 56 whichmay be welded to the top of the section 4 over the steam space as shown. .Water is-supplied to the jacket tank 56 thru a pipe-58 and withdrawn hot thru a pipe 66. When the apparatus is used to heat a house with hot water the cold water return line may connect into the line 40 (the line 54- not being used) so that the relatively cold water is preheated by the flue gases leavingthe furnace. Furthermore the domestic water is preferably heated by thefurnace in the manner shown in Fig. 3 in which only a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 1 is shown. In Fig. 3 the ,sec-.

tion 2 is provided with a Water heating jacket 62 which is Welded onto the outside of the wall 8. Water is supplied to the jacket 62 by a line z 64 and withdrawn thru a line 66. In using the furnace to heat a house with hot water a higher temperature domestic water can be obtained by using the heater 62 in Fig. 3 than the tank 56 of Fig. 1.

From the foregoing description of the invenj tion it will be apparent that various changes and modifications may be made in the apparatus and its operation without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example the apparatus is preferably ofwelded boiler steel but may be made of cast metal. Instead of'using a stack to take the flue gases they may be drawn thru a suction fan and discharged thru an ordinary 3 or 4 inch pipe. The suction on the furnace should be controlled so that the a proper proportion of air will beqdrawn in around the-burners to'give the desired combustionas The whole apparatus should described above. also be insulated altho no insulation is shown: in understood that probe made within the scopeof the invention. The steam as Well as the excess condensatefrom the flash boiler 42 may be passed directly into the steam spaceof section 4 so that it is not necessary to have lines 50 and 54.

Having describedthe invention in its preferred form what is claimed" as new is:

1. A steam boiler furnace, comprising upper and lower sections for heating water to produce steam, the lower section including'a substantially vertical combustion chamber inside an annular said combustion chamber and the other'being connected for gas flow with an exhaust flue gas box at one end of said container, and water con' duits connecting one end and the middle compartments of the upper section respectively with the top and bottom of the water jacket of the lower section of said boiler furnace.

. 2. A steam boiler furnace as defined by claim 1 in which said walled flue spaces are spaced a substantial distance apart and connected by a relatively large angular shaped flue passage, and

, a plurality of tubes for water extending thru said flue spaces and connecting saidend compartments.

3. 'A steam boiler furnace as defined by claim 1 in which said walled flue spaces are spaced apart to form said middle compartment and are connected by a plurality of relatively large flue passages, and a plurality of tubes for water flow extending thru each flue passage and interconnecting the said end compartments.

4. A steam boiler furnace as defined by claim 1 in which the connection between said exhaust flue gas box and the walled flue space connected therewith comprises a plurality of flue tubes having a substantial surface in said container and which extend from said flue space, above the walls of the flue space connected with said combustion chamber and discharge into said exhaust box.

5. A steam boiler furnace as defined by claim 1 in which a condensate flash boiler element is mounted in said exhaust flue gas box and adapted to be heated by hot flue gas discharged from said container, means for delivering condensate to and for conducting steam from said condensate flash element, and means for conducting excess condensate from said element to the lower portion of the jacket of said lower furnace section.

6. In an apparatus for heating liquids with hot gases of combustion, upper and lower furnace sections for heating liquids, the lower section including a substantially vertical combustion chamber inside an annular water jacket,

said upper section including a substantially hori zontal container containing a middle and two end compartments interconnected for passage of liquid and formed by two interconnected walled flue spaces extending across the lower portion of said container, one of said spaces opening into said combustion chamber and the other being connected for gas flow with an exhaust flue gas outlet at one end of said container, a plurality of angular shaped relatively large flue gas passages extending through said middle compartment and connecting said flue spaces, said passages being of such size and so shaped as to provide relatively little liquid capacity between each other and between the passages and the lower wall of said middle compartment whereby the volume of liquid in said middle compartment will be relatively small compared to the heating surface provided by said flue gas passages and flue spaces, and a conduit connecting said upper and lower sections for flow of liquid.

'7. A steam boiler furnace comprising upper and lower sections for heating water to produce steam, the lower section including a substantially vertical combustion chamber inside an annular water jacket, said upper section including a substantially horizontal container for water and steam containing a middle and two end compartments interconnected for passage of water and formed by two interconnected walled flue spaces extending across the lower portion of said upper section, one of said spaces opening into said combustion chamber and the other being connected for gas flow with an exhaust flue gas box at one end of said container, a condensate flash boiler element mounted in said exhaust flue gas box and adapted to be heated by hot flue gases discharged from said container, means for delivering condensate to and for conducting steam from said condensate flash boiler element, means for conducting excess condensate from said element to the lower portion of the jacket of said lower furnace section, and means for conducting water from said lower section to the upper section of said boiler.

8. A steam boiler furnace as defined by claim 1 in which said walled flue spaces extend across only the lower portion of said upper section thereby providingan opensteam space in said upper section above said compartments.

FREDERICK W. RIEHL, 

